Batt-inserting tool



March 12, 1929. A MWCHELL 1.7051364 BATT INSEMING TOOL Original Filed Feb. 28, 192? 2 Sheets-Sheet l I III,

INVENTOR. fiwlsterfi W ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES LWMM PATENT orrica.

.ALLISTER S. MITCHELL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CALIFORNIA COTTON MILLS COMPANY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

' BATT-INSERTING TOOL.

Original application riled February 28, 1927, Serial No. 171,462. Divided and this application filed February: 10, 1928.

This invention has to do with a tubular insertion-tool adapted to the purpose of stutting pipes or pleats of cushioned upholstery and the like and the primary objectof the invention is to provide atool for this purpose which is adjustable m such manner as to adapt it for use in filling'or stufling p pes or pleats of different dimensions in cross section, thus eliminating the necessity of pro viding a separate tool of fixed and definite cross sectional dimensions to meet the requirement of the cross sectional dimensions of the specific pleat or flue to be filled.

This application is a division 'of my application, Serial Number 171,462, filed Febru:

ary 28, 1927.-

The improved tool is suitable for use in practicing the Mitchell process of stuifing or filling upholstery which is described in my Reissue Patent No. 16,283, granted March 9, 1926. In the process described in said patent, the advance end of a continuous strip of batting or filling drawn from a suitable supply is confined within atubular insert ontool. The tool. is inserted in a pleat or pipe, the advanced end of the strip, then held while the tool is withdrawn from the tube or pleat, thus reloading the tool; the strip is then severed at the advance end of the tool by giving the tool a quick movement later ally of the pleat or pipe, severing the strip of batting or filling at the end of the pleat-- 'or pipe.

The process just described is now practically universally employed for stufiing or filling pleats or pipes in upholstery. In stufling or filling pleats or pipes of this nature, it hasbeen the custom to provide an insertion-tool to fill. a pleat of a given cross sectional area, but such tools have never heretofore been so constructed as to make it possible to vary the normal cross sectional area of the tool so that the tools could be used universally, thus accommodating the tool to pipes or pleats of different cross sectional dimensions. As many large trimming shops are called upon to stuff or fill pleats or pipes of varying cross sectional dimensions, they are required to provide a separate tool of specific diameter to fit the cross sectional dimensional diameter of the specific cross sec-' Serial No. 253.460.

tional dimensions of the pipes or tubes requiring filling.

In accordance with the present invention, the tool is made of adjustable cross sectional area, thus providing a tool that can be quickly and readily adjusted to render it suitable in cross sectional dimensions for stufling or filling a number of pipes or tubes having different cross sectional dimensions. It will be readily seen that by the provision of this adjustable tool that the heretofore necessity of providing a'multiplicity of such tools to meet the'requirements of the filling or stuiling pipes or tubes of different cross sectional dimensions is eliminated.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved insertion-tool, the tool being shown adjusted to its largest capacity.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of an enlarged scale taken at line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a broken section taken on a line a 3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is an end View partially in section.

Fig. 5 is a broken plan view.

For a more comprehensive and clearer understanding of the invention, reference is made to the reference characters shown on the drawing in which like reference characters indicate like parts. 7

The main body portion of the tool comrises two concavo-convex members A and in substantially parallel relation, which members may be struck from strips of relatively thin metal. Members A and B are fiared outwardly adjacent their lower ends as at 10 and 11, thus forming a flared or truncated cone portion at the base of the tool. The flared portions 10 and 11 have formed at their base channels 12 for the reception therein of U-shaped members 13 which encircle the'members A and B and which may be rigidly secured within the channel 12 in any desired manner, as for infor the free passage ofscreW-threaded bolts 17 on opposite sides of the tool which are provided with nuts 18, which bear against the faces of cars 16 and are for the purpose of drawing members A and B toward each other at their base and rocking member A on fulcrum 23 of member B against the tension of spring 19, thus tending to move of exerting pressureoutwardy on the member B oraway from member A, and acts also as a pivot for member A in its movement with relation to member B. Inwardly of lugs '20 and 21 and approximately at the angle formed between the flared portions 10 I and 11 of the members A and B is placed a stabilizing band, 23which is of substantially -U-shape, having one of its ends soldered or otherwise afiixed as at 2 to one of the inwardly extending portions of member B and is then carried around member A and over-laps the other of the inwardly extend in portions of B, there being a slot 25 provi ed in the over-lapping portion for the free movement therein of externally screwthreaded stud 26 which is aflixed to member B and which is provided with butterfly nut 27 for securin band 23 and consequently member A in adjusted position with relation to member B.

The diameter of the inwardly turned portions of the member B is slightly greater than the diameter of, the inwardly turned portions of the member A to permit of a telescopic relation of one of the members with relation to the other of the members. (See Fig. 2.) I

At the advance end of the tool the members A and B have their flanges on one side of the tool provided with complemental recesses forming shallow notches 28 and have their flanges on the opposite side of the tool provided with complemental recesses forming deeper'notches 29, the purpose of which formation will presently appear.

In the use of the implement, it is the usual practice to support the tool by means of a cord depending from a stationary support above the head of the operator, as illustrated in Fig. 7 of Reissue Patent No. 16,283. The advance end of the continuous strip of batting from any suitable source is introduced through the to be stuffed is placed'upon a table in front of the operator; and the operator, grasping the tool and collapsing it sufliciently to enable it to enter the pleat readily, inserts the tubular tool; the pleated'fabric' tool into the pleat, thus carrying the advance end ofthe wadding strip to the remote end of the pleat; the operator with the. left hand then presses down upon the fabric at the remote end of the pleat, the fingers entering through the notches 29 of the tool and holding the advance end of the strip while the tool is withdrawn from the pleat by the right hand of the operator; and finally, the operator while pressing down upon the near end of the pleat adjacent the point-end of the tool, gives the tool a quick lateral movement, causing the shallow notches 28 to sever the strip as a result of the jerking action. In the withdrawal of the tool, while the strip is held in the pleat, a fresh section of the continuous waddingstrip is drawn into the tool, so that the tool is thus reloaded. .The operator repeats the operation described, and thus successive pleats are stuffed with great rapidity.

claim is:

1. A pleat stufling tool comprising a air of complemental tube sections equippe at their base ends with adjustable spring devices tending to draw the base ends together, adjustable fulcrums between said tube sections in front of said adjustable spring connections and adjustable means for limiting the expansion of the tool.

2. A leat stufing tool comprising a pair of comp emental substantially U-shaped cross section members, said members flaring outwardly at their base ends, means for contracting and expanding the base of the tool, a stabilizing device at approximately the smallest diameter of the flaredportion and fulcrums intermediate the contractin and expanding means and the stabilizing fevice. 3. A pleat stuffing tool comprising a pair of complemental members in substantially parallel relation, said members forming a truncated cone for a portion of .their length at the base end of the tool, means for varying the diameter of the tool at its base, stabiliz ing means at approximately the shortest diameter of the cone-like portion and adjustable fulcrums intermediate the varying means and the stabilizing means.

4. A stuffing tool comprising two coacting members in substantially parallel relation assuming the form of a truncated cone for a portion of their length at the base of the tool, means for forcing the members away from toward each other at their base, ad

Having thus described my invention, what justable stabilizing means carried by the truncated portion at approximately the shortest diameter thereof, ears carried by the respective members, one of said ears engag- 111% an adjustable member fulcruming on the ot er ofsaid ears, one of said ears being internally screw-threaded for the reception therein of a screw-threaded adjusting member,-the other of said ears having a seat members carried by and within the base of the tool, ears carried by the ends of the resilient members, and spring tensioned 10 screw-threaded means for engaging the ears.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALLISTER S. MITCHELL. 

